2008 Property Tax Bills Are In! Our tax rate went down again this year to 7.1207, the lowest ever. HOWEVER the "Equalization Factor" went up to 1.025, which means an increase in our tax bills anyway. (thank you Rhonda Novak's office) Brookside Glen Property Tax Calculator Enter the Market Value (or cost) of Your Home $

Tinley loosens theft laws

Police now have option of issuing local citations for minor offenses
by Michael Gilbert
reprinted from the Tinley Junction

Tinley Park police officers now have the authority to issue a local ordinance violation citation — instead of charging an offender with retail theft — for a minor theft offense.

Trustees voted unanimously Jan. 19 to amend Village code and allow police the ability to issue the citation when a petty theft has been committed.

"This gives our police a little more flexibility, and the [offender] won't have the stigma of being a thief," said Trustee Brian Maher, the chairman of Village's Public Safety Committee.

The citation would only be issued if the item stolen is valued under $300, and the theft does not occur at a retail store, Maher said.

"It would be for things like a stealing a bicycle or iPod," Maher said. "It's for crimes that are a little less harsh."

The only option police previously had was to charge offenders with retail theft, which carries a misdemeanor charge, Maher said.

The Village's Public Safety Committee voted in favor of the code change at its meeting on Jan. 14.

Maher doubted the Village would see an increase in crime with the more lenient law.

"I think we're talking about kids and small-time thieves," he said. "I don't think this makes it anymore likely a theft would occur."

In other news, Tinley Park officials voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to improve the medians along Harlem Avenue.

The project is expected to cost around $1.5 million to $1.7 million with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act covering $1.2 million of the cost, Trustee Tom Staunton said. Tinley Park would be responsible for up to $551,000 depending on the final bid amount, Staunton said.

The project consists of curb and landscape enhancements to the medians on Harlem Avenue from 163rd Street to 167th Street, and from 175th Street to the Metra underpass. Work would also be done to the median on 191st Street, Public Works Director Dale Schepers said.

IDOT is expected to bid the project this March and work could be finished by the summer, Schepers said.

Tinley Park officials originally planned on redoing the medians with 6-inch curb replacements at an estimated cost of $1.5 million, Staunton said; however, IDOT is now requiring 9-inch curb replacements which could increase the price by an additional $250,000, he said.

"With the way the economy is going, hopefully we can get a bid closer to [the $1.5 million] amount," Staunton said.

Daily lane closures are likely once crews begin working, Schepers said. It is unknown if there will be any overnight lane closures.

The medians will be landscaped with flowering trees and native plantings that can tolerate road salt, Schepers said. The new medians are expected to save the Village $40,000 in annual maintenance costs, Staunton said.

It has been almost 10 years since the Harlem Avenue medians were last redone, Schepers said.

Wrap it Up
A brief recap of Village Board action at the meeting on Jan. 19

Tinley Park officials voted unanimously to authorize an intergovernmental agreement with IDOT on a project to add approximately 80 streetlights on 191st Street. The total project is expected to cost around $698,000 with the Village's amount roughly $140,000.

Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki presented certificates of recognition to the Frankfort Square Wildcats sixth-grade cheerleading squad for winning a state championship.

Trustees approved a resolution declaring January 2010 at Southern Suburban PADS Awareness Month in Tinley Park. PADS was founded 20 years ago to offer shelter to the homeless

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